Valve-gear for gas-engines.



Patented lune l2, |900.

(Application led Sept. 14, 1899.)

4 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.) l

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No. 65|,683. Patented lune |2,l900.

c. WERNER.l VALVE GEAR `FR GAS ENGINES.

(Application filed Sept. 14, 1899.)

(N0 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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Nofsmas. f Patented lune l2, |900.

c. WERNER. VALVE GEAR FR GAS ENGINES (Application filed Sept. 14, 1899.)

4 sheets-sheet s.

(No Model.)

W/TNESSES: Y /N VENTUH www ATTORNEYS m: NoRms PETERS co.. PnoraLm-lo.. WASHINGTON. D. c.

No. 65|,683. `Patend lune I2, |900. C. WERNER.

VALVE GEAR FOR GASENGINES.

(Application fnled Sept, 14, 1899.)

4 Sheet-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

A T'UHN w/TNESSES gases.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.'

CHARLES WERNER, OF' PINE GROVE, PENNSYLVANIA.

. VALVE-G EAR FOR GAS-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 651,683, dated June 12, 1900.

VVApplication iiled September 14I 1899. Serial No. 730,483. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it mntyconoern:

Be it known that I, CHARLEsWERNER, of

Pine Grove, inthe county of Schuylkill and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Valve-Gear for Gas-Engines,.-

My invention relatesto an improvement inA gas or explosion engines, and comprises the' novel featureswhich are `hereinafter de-` scribed and claimed.

Reference is to be had tothe accom pauying drawings, `forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a side elevation of my engine with a portion of the cylinder broken away to show the ring-chamber. Fig. 2 is a plan of my engine. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the cylinder end of the engine with a portion of the cylinder broken away, `showing the parts in the position in which the exhaustvalve is opened for the discharge of the burned showing the parts in theV position for recharging the cylinder with explosive mixture. Fig. 5 is a section through the mixing-chamber, showing in elevation the mechanism for operatin g the cams and the governor; and Fig. 6

is an end elevation of the cylinder and the' means for operating the various valves.

My engine belongs to thattype of .gas-engines commonly spoken of as four-cycle engines, or those in which an explosion is produced at every alternate revolution of the shaft. The cylinder A is a trunk-cylinderthat is, is open at one end and uses only one end of the cylinder for the production of power.

The piston C2 therein is connected, by means of a connecting-rod C', with a center crank, formed upon the crank-shaft C, which is mounted-upon the opposite end of the cylinder frame orbed A. Upon oneside of the cylinder is formed a chamber A2, similar in some respects to the steam-chests of an ordinary engine and having` within the same a mixing and explosion chamber a. The gas is admitted to this mixing-chamber by means of valves K, which, as herein shown, are ordinary plu g-Valves mounted to reciprocate within their chambers, and thus to admit the gas to the mixing-chamber.

Fig. i is a similar View to Fig. 3, butz These valves are directly operated by means of a bell-crank le*- ver K2, which is forked at one end, so as to connect with each of the valves K. Two valves K are herein shown, although one valve might answer the purpose. These valves are mounted to slide withi n cylindrical bosses K', formed upon the end of the chamber A2.

The air is admitted to the mixing-chamber a through a valve E, which .opens inwardly and is adapted to be held upon its seat by the pressure of gas within the chamber. This valve has a stem E2, which extends outward through suitable bearings, and at its outer end has an elbow-shaped lever or arm e secured thereto, preferably by pivoting, as shown in the drawings.

Between the outer ends of the stem E2 and the end of the mixing-chamber is inserted a spirally-coiled spring E3,Which acts upon said valve-stem to normally hold the valve closed. The outer or free end of the arm e, which is secured to the outer end of the valve-stem, has a tooth or projection e2, which is adapted .to be engaged bya tooth or projection ol' upon the end of a rod D, so that the arm e and the valve connected therewith may be drawn backward or toward the shaft of the engine, so as to open the valve and permit the introduction of air to the mixing-chamber.` The arm c passes between guides e', which hold it securelyin place and while permittingaslight rising-andfalling motion of the arm prevent its movement sidewise.

The exhaust-valve, which is located at one 'side ofthe mixing-chamber, is mounted upon the lower end of a stem J, which passes upward and has a spiral spring J' mounted thereon and adapted normally to hold said valve closed. This valve is one which opens inwardly after the same style as the air-admis sion valve E. The spring J therefore tends to hold said val ve closed. This valve is opened by the action of a lever I, whichis pivoted upon the upper end of a standard I and has one end entering a slot in thevalvestem .I or secured thereto in any other suitable manner.

Mounted in suitable bearings beneath the lever I and extending in the same direction is a shaft H2, upon one end of which is secured a ratchet-wheel H and upon theother end of which is secured a star or ca m wheel IOO upwardly theywill engage and raise the lever I. These parts are so proportioned that the partial turning of the shaft H2 due --to the movement of theratchet-wheel through` ther space Vof one tooth will not cause the star or cam wheel to Vactpupon the lever I, while the next Amovement of the ratchetwheel thro ugh the space of one -tooth will..eausethelstais` wheele'to' lift the lever I, for the reason that .this last movement will bring ythe extreme outer portion ot the projection h' beneath the lever I. The ratchet-wheel H is operated by means of arod B2, which is, in eiect, an eccentric-rod having upon its opposite end an eccentric-strap B',.which passes about an eccentricn B, which is secured to the engineshaft. The end b2 of the rod B2is turned up slightly and placedin such position that it will engage the' teeth of the ratchet-wheel when reciprocated. The rod B2 has an arm 1J' projecting therefrom and forming aguide yfor one end of a rod L, which at the other end is connected with the bell-crank lever K2, byv

which the gas-admission valves are operated. This rod L has two tappets L' and L2 mounted thereon, the tappet L' being screw-threaded-thereon and adjustable in position. Be-

tween the tappet L2, which is at the outer end of the rod, and the arm b' is placed a spirally-` `coiled spring L3,`by -which a yielding connection is made between the two rods L and B2, i 4so that vwhen the arm b strikes the. spring it without any jerk.

'will cause the rod L to start smoothly andi This construction also causes the movement of the rodlL and the valves K, which, are'operated thereby, to be f -conined to a small portion of the reciprocating movement of the rod B2, from which moi `tion is obtained. Upon the rod B2 is a sec- `I ondv arm b, to the outer end of which is pivi oted the rod D, which extends over the valve- J operating mechanisms and is provided with v1 means for operating both the firing-pin and vthe air-admission valve.

The ring-rod F passes downward through the upper wall of;

themixing-chamber and is provided with an arm'f within said chambeig'adapted to-engage the tixed tiring-pin f.

" outer end of the' rod F. l j

A lever G is mounted upon a pivot g andi The firing-rod F is normal-ly held raised or` out of contactwithi the coperating tiring-pin f' by means of the ,E spiral spring F', which .surrounds the upper The arm G' be engaged by 1a .notch or shoulder cl upon` :the bar D'. When the bar D reciprocatestoward the right as the mechanism is show-n in Figs. l, 3and 4:, it will, if lowered to the `proper position,.` engage the upper end of the alongside of the lever I. `has a notch O' formed therein at such an eleestese arm G2, and thus cause .the lever G to be swung upon its pivot, so as to depress the rod F,carrying the firing-pin. The arm G3, which extends in substantially-opposite direction from the arm G', is adapted to en#v gage the under side of the rod D, and thus to free the rod yand lever when the lever has been moveda proper distance. This permits the spring F' to quickly raise the firing-rod.

The outer end of the rod D has a downwardly-curving section D',- which terminates in a tooth d', adapted to engage the tooth e2 vupon the lever c', and thus to open the air-"admission valve. The outer end D' of this rod passes through suitable guides d2, which retain it in proper position. v A

The vertical position of the rod D is determined by the position of the lever I. This lever has anextension which projects beneath therod D. This extension, as herein shown, consists of a pivoted link l2, the lower end of which is hooked or curved so as to pass beneath the rod D. When the shorter radius of the star or cam wheel I-l'is beneath the lever I, the rod D is invits lowermost position and will consequently engage the arm G2 to depress the firing-pin when the rod is reciprocated toward the outer endof thecylinder. Y, In this position the pointed outer end of the rod D will pass beneath the end of the arm e and lift it fromA the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 or into the position shown in Fig. l. To insure this acti'on,the ends of the rod and arm are made sloping, asindicated in the drawings. 'When, however, the longer radius of the star or cam wheel I-I' is beneath the lever I the rod VD will be raised, so that 'it will not engage theA arm `G2 and will also be carried above the end of the arm e when reder. This position is shown in Fig. 3. As soon as the star or cam wheel has been' moved so that the lever I drops off of the outermost projection thereof the rod D will be dropped into the position shown in Fig. 4. This will engage-the teeth d' and e2, so that asthe rod 'D is reciprocated backward lor toward the engineshaft it will dra-w the arm e back with it, and thus open the air-admission valve E. At the same time the rod L is carried back with the rod D and opens they gas-admission valves, so that the cylinder is recharged.

Upon the mixing-chamber is mounted a bell-crank lever O, which is pivoted thereon at O2, as shown in Fig-5. This leve-r has one endthereof extending upwardly and close At its uppe-r end it vation that it may engage the lever when the latter is in its uppermost position, it' the arm O be swung towardl said leve-r.` This arm iscontrolled by means ot' a governor N', the central spindle orshaft N of which extends downwardly and engages the arm O3 of the bell-crank lever .0, so as to swing `the upper end of the lever beneath the lever I. Vhen the governor reaches the limit .of ythe speed ciprocated toward the outer end of the c-ylin` ICO desired, it will force the spindle N downward,

and swing the lever O toward the lever I, so as to engage the lever Iand hold the bar D raised from engagement with both the lever which operates the firing mechanism and with the arm which operates the air-admission valve. As a consequence the explosive mixture will not be introduced to the cylinder until the speed of the governor has dropped to such a point as to release the lever I. The governor is operated in the usual manner by means of a belt' N2, which is operated from the engine-shaft or any other suitable revolving part of the engine.

The shaft H2, upon which the star-wheel H and the ratchel-wheel II are secured, has a spiral spring'H3 surrounding the same between the ratchet-wheel Hand the standard H4, in which one end of the shaft is mounted. This holds the ratchet-wheel II up against the other standard I with suiicient force to creating mechanism whereby thepengagement of the reciprocating rod with the air-admission valve is controlled and made to follow the opening of the exhaust, substantially as described.

2. In a gas-engine, a spring-closed air-admission valve, an arm pivoted thereto and provided with a tooth or catch, a valve-operating rod and means for reciprocating it in unison with the engine, said rod having a tooth adapted to engage the tooth upon the arm secured to the valve, and means for moving said rod out of engagement with said arm at each alternate stroke of the engine, substantially as described.

3. In a gas-enginea spring-closed air-admission valve, an arm pivoted thereto and provided with a tooth or catch, a valve-operating rod, and means for reciprocating it in unison with the engine, said rod having a tooth adapted to engage the tooth Vupon the arm secured to the valve, and means for shift-` ing the end of said rod so as to alternately pass above and below said arm whereby said arm and its valve is reciprocated only at each' alternate stroke of the engine, substantially as described.

4. In a gas-engine, a spring-closed valve, a pivoted arm having one end connected with the valve, a star-wheel or cam adapted to engage the other end of said arm to raise it and thereby open the valve, a tooth or ratchetwheel connected with said wheel or cam andl having double its number of teeth, anda rod having an eccentric driving connection with the engine-shaft, and adapted to engage with its free end the teeth of said ratchet-wheel to turn it, substantially as described.

5. In a gas-engine, an air-admission valve, a reciprocating rod for opening said valve, a iiring-rod projecting into the firing-chamber, a spring normally holding the rod ont of firing position, a pivoted lever engaging the tiring-rod and adapted to be engaged by the reciprocating rod to operate it, and means for holding said rod out of engagement with the lever at each alternate movement thereof,

`substantially as described.

6. A gas or explosion engine, having separate gas and air admission valves, an exhaustvalve and a firing-pin, the exhaust-valve, the air-admission valve and the ring-pin being spring-held in inoperative positions, a main valve operating rod having reciprocative connection with the engine as by an eccentric, an auxiliary rod operated from said main rod by tappets and operating the gas-admission valves, a pivoted leverconnected-with the exhaust-valve to open it, a star or cam wheel adapted to actuate said lever and exhaust-valve, a toothed or ratchet wheel connected with said wheel or cam and having double its number of teeth and adapted to be engaged by the end of the main valve-operating rod to be turned thereby, a pivoted iringpin operating lever having an upwardly-projecting arm, a toothed arln or bar secured to the air-admission val ve, a rod connected with the main valve-operating rod and adapted to be engaged by an extension of the exhaust-valve-operating lever to be raised and lowered, said rod passing over the tiringpin-operating lever and having a shoulder or projection adapted to engage an arm thereof to operate it on the outward stroke, the outer end of said rod dropping downward and having a hook or tooth adapted to engage.

the tooth upon the arm `which is secured to the air-admission valve, substantially as described.

7. In a gas-engine, a rod having reciprocative connection with the engine and operating the sparking and admission devices, a pivoted lever adapted to engage said bar to raise it to prevent its operation upon the said sparking and admission devices, means for periodically.

IIO

raising said lever, a pivoted catch-leverV adapted to engage said bar to hold it raised,

but normally acted upon to be cleared therefrom, and agovernor having connection with said catch-lever to swing itinto engagement with said rod to hold it raised, substantially` as described.

8. In a gas-en gine, a spring-closed exhausts having an eccentric driving connection withA the engine-shaftand adapted to engage `the vided with tappets, and a coiled spring on the V'teeth of said ratchetlwheel to turn it, an air-.

admissionlvalve, la firing mechanism, a rod connected to reciprocate with the rod whichy turns the ratchet-wheel, and an extension of the arm which operates the exhaust-valve and engaging said last-mentioned rod to raise and lower it to cause it to operate said airadmis-` sion valve and iring mechanism atalternatef reciprocations, substantially as described.

9. In a gas-engine, the combination with an exhaust-valve, a reciprocating rod, and meansv for operating the said valve fromV the rod, of gas-admission valves, a bell-crank lever con-v nected with the gas-admission valves, and a rod carried by the reciprocating rod and conv nected with the bell-crank lever, substantiallyA as described.

l0. In a gas-engine, the combination with 'an exhaust-valve, a reciprocating rod,'andl means for operating the valve from the rod,l

of gas-admission valves, a rod having at onel end a yielding connection with the reciprocating rod,l and a connection between the Aother end ofthe rod and the gas-admission valves, substantially as and for the purpose. set forth.

l11. In a gas-engine, the'combination'with an exhaustwalve, a reciprocating rod pro-` vided with an apertured arm or lug, and means for operating the said valve from the rod, of

gas-admission valves, a bell-crank llever connected with the said valves, a rodhaving one end connected with the bell-'crank'levelgaud its other end Working in the aperture of the arm or lug of the reciprocating rod and proi rod between the armandfthe tappet at the end of lthe arm, substantially as described.

1-2. In a gas-engine, the combination of a spring-pressed exhaust-valve, a pivoted lever connected `with said valve,- a Wheel having cam projections for engaging the leveigmeans for operatin g the wheel from the en gine-shaft,

, a springLpressed air-ad mission valve, a toothed arm pivoted to said Valve, a reciprocating rod having a tooth for engaging the tooth of the said arm, said rod being operated by the means operating' the cam-Wheel, and means for moving said rod out of engagement with the said arm at each alternate stroke of the engine, substantially7 as described.

' `13. Ina gasengine, the combination of a spring-pressed exhaust-valve@ pivoted lever engaging the stem of said valve, a wheel having cam projections engaging the lever, a

ratchet-wheel connected with the cam-wheel,

a reciprocating rod operated from the engineshaft and having it-s free endengaging the ratchetwheel, a spring-pressed air-admission valve, an arm pivoted tothe stern of the said valve and provided with a tooth, a rod carried by the reciprocating rod and provided with a tooth engagingthe toothof the said arm, and a pivoted link carried by the lever engaging the exhaust-valve stem, said link engaging the rod which operates the air-admission valve, substantially as described.

CHARLES WERNER.

Witnesses: i

CLAUDE N. ALBERT, PENRosE KLINGER. 

